2024 NSERC Grants Awarded to OVC Researchers

11 Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) researchers received $575,500 in new funding from the NSERC Discovery Grant, Discovery Launch Supplements and Research Tools and Instruments programs. 

The researchers will use the NSERC Discovery awards to study numerous topics, from brain function and livestock health to disease control in animals. Newly supported projects include:  

Department of Biomedical Sciences 

Nuria Daviu 

The primary research focus of Daviu’s lab is to understand how we cope with stress.  Using mice as an experimental model, her work investigates the underlying brain circuit involved in selecting defensive behaviors in response to a threat. With this funding, she aims to understand how both contextual factors (external) such as shelter availability and novelty, and the animal’s internal state, influence these decisions, which could lead to better strategies for managing stress and anxiety-related disorders.  

Pavneesh Madan 

Madan is looking to improve the selection of viable bovine embryos produced through assisted reproductive technologies. His research focuses on identifying markers for non-invasive selection of good quality embryos. His research is also focusing on developing artificial intelligence (AI) tools for improving embryo selection. The grant will help understand developmental competence of bovine embryos using molecular, cellular and AI tools. His research will help improve embryo selection thereby enhancing the efficiency of reproductive biotechnologies in the cattle industry. 

Craig Bailey  

Bailey will utilize the grant money to purchase a confocal microscope for neuroscience research. His team of co-investigators on this grant will use the new microscope to further their research programs investigating fundamental mechanisms underlying brain function. Specific areas of focus include the characterization of neuronal circuits that support cognition, responses to stressful situations, and pain sensation, and also cellular mechanisms of brain development and regeneration. 

Department of Pathobiology 

John Barta 

Barta’s lab explores the genetics of protozoan parasites affecting both humans and animals. His research focuses on understanding the evolutionary history of these parasites and developing new ways to diagnose and control them. The grant will support the sequencing of mitochondrial genomes and the development of molecular diagnostic methods to improve poultry health management and sustainability. 

Emma Borkowski 

Borkowski’s research focuses on understanding livestock immune responses to helminth parasites. With this funding, she and her team will study how sheep defend against common gastrointestinal nematodes that have become resistant to traditional treatments. The research may lead to novel ways of dealing with the parasites through genetic selection and new vaccines.  

Courtney Schott 

Schott is investigating the differences in bone stem cells between large and small dogs. Her research will examine how these cells contribute to bone maintenance and aging. The grant will support her efforts to understand the cellular mechanisms behind size-related variation in dogs, potentially leading to better treatments for bone-related conditions in both veterinary and human medicine. 

Leonardo Susta 

Susta will investigate the pathogenesis of bornaviruses in avian species, as a model of chronic nervous tissue infection. His research focuses on understanding how these viruses affect wild waterfowl and gallinaceous birds, aiming to identify transmission pathways between wild birds and poultry, as well as mechanisms of disease progression. The grant will support his efforts to develop strategies for managing and controlling the virus. 

Department of Clinical Studies 

Sonja Fonfara 

Fonfara researches the influence of sex on a cat’s heart and the mechanisms that drive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a common heart disease in cats and in humans. Her study aims to improve the understanding of cardiac ageing in cats, identify the role of sex and age in HCM development and progression, and characterize molecular mechanisms behind cardiac remodeling. This grant will support her exploration of the cat heart, leading to improved disease control and overall cat health. 

Adronie Verbrugghe 

Verbrugghe is investigating how dietary choline affects cats’ health. Her research explores choline metabolism and its impact on weight management, liver health, and overall physiology in both healthy and obese cats. This funding will support studies to improve dietary recommendations for domestic cats and enhance pet food formulations.  

Department of Population Medicine 

Katie Clow 

Clow is studying the spread of vector-borne diseases in domestic animals. Her research will focus on how climate change and land use changes contribute to the spread of ticks and the diseases they carry. With this funding, she aims to understand the factors that lead to disease development in dogs and horses bitten by infected ticks, ultimately helping to predict and manage future disease risks. 

Kelsey Spence 

Spence will study how farmer behaviours influence the spread of diseases among livestock. Her research will focus on small-scale farms, including urban and rural poultry flocks, and how behaviours surrounding biosecurity practices can affect disease transmission. With this funding, she aims to create more accurate disease models that consider human behaviour, leading to better disease preparedness and outbreak response strategies in agricultural settings. 

Additional details about the U of G NSERC announcement are available on the university website.